Card-holding device



CAR

ING

VIC E Illl HUM MMU 1M IsJ"Il ul MH I A Patented Oct. 15, 1929 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE FRED WEINDEL, JB., OF ALLENTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA,ASSIGNOR rlO L. F. GrBfAllCllMESy & SONS, INC., OF ALLENTOWN,PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF MARYLAND CARD-HOLDING DEVICE Applicationled. 'March 12, 1926. Serial No. 94,139.`

This invention relates to devices for clamp ingly holding cards, suchfor example as menus or advertising sheets, in vertical position so thattheir opposite sides are simultaneously displayed for ready reading attables and counters of restaurants or stores.

In connection with a device of the kind referred to, I seek to obtainthe advantages both of lightness and economy of manufacture attendantupon construction from sheet material, and notwithstanding structurallightness, to insure, on the one hand, stability of the device as awhole against being easily upset; but, on the other hand, to aord thecard firm support against the possibility of displacement from a truevertical position relative to the holder.

In the drawings Fig. I is a perspective view of a card holding deviceconveniently embodying my invention, and showing the manner in whichitis used.

Fig. II is a transverse sectional view of the same; and,

Fig. III, a similar view of an alternative form of my invention.

The structure of Figs. I and II, involves counterpart components 5, 6that are fashioned from sheet material, preferably sheet metal ofuniform width throughout. These components 5, 6 each afford a springclamping jaw 7 of angular formation, and a short vertical segment 8beneath said jaw with an outwardly extending lateral flange 9. Inassembling, the components 5, 6 are placed back to back so that theirvertical segments 8, 8 are brought into abutting relation, whereuponthey are permanently secured together preferably by means of tubularrivets such as shown at 10, 10, through said vertical segments. Byvirtue of alignment as a result of assembling of the parts 5, 6 as justdescribed, the flanges 9, 9 jointly constitute an extended base forsupporting the device with ample stability against being easily upset.For convenience of ready insertion of a card or sheet 11 between themafter the manner illustrated in Fig. I, the upper ends of the clampingjaws 7, 7 are rounded as at 12, 12. In this connection it is to beparticularly noted that at the region of mergence with the clamping jaws7, 7 the segments 8, 8 are curved somewhat with resulting provision of acrotch or wedgelike]l seat ltotake the bottom edge of the car 1 Thealternative construction of Fig. III is similar to the first describedform of my invention in that it is characterized by the opposingclamping jaws 7, 7, and the vertical web afforded by the abuttingsegments 8, 8 intermediate the jaws and the lateral base flanges 9, 9.However, in this instance, the device is made from a single strip ofsheet metal instead of two as before, the method of bending beingobvious from the illustration and entailing doubling or retroverting ofthe metal upon itself throughout the extent of the base flanges 9, 9. Inthe latter construction, riveting may be entirely dispensed with assufficient reliance may be placed upon the springiness and set of themetal to hold the device to the intended configuration.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the card holding device ofmy invention is neat and attractive in appearance, and adapts itself toready and economic manufacture. Moreover, notwithstanding its lightness,the device is quite stable against being easily upset, and, by reason ofits capacityY to firmly engage the display card at spaced intervals,insures maintenance of the latter against displacement from true uprightposition.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. As a new article of manufacture a holding device for supporting amenu card in true vertical position constructed of sheet material toprovide opposed upwardly-directed angular-form spring-clamp jaws withthe entrant ends in cooperative engagement and an intervening wedge-likeseat afforded by convergently rounding of the jaws at their lower partsinto mutually abutting sections, said sections terminating in co-planarbase flanges that project laterally outward in reverse directions fromthe longitudinal median of the device.

2. As a new article of manufacture a holding device for supporting amenu card in true vertical position constructed of a single strip ofsheet material to provide opposed angular form spring-clamp jaws withthe entrant ends in cooperative engagement and to grip the card at adistance remote from a wedgelike seat for its lower edge afforded byc0nvergently rounding of the jaws at the bottom, and co-planar baseflanges formed by retroversions in the strip material, said ilangesprojecting laterally outward from the longitudinal median of the deviceat a short distance below the Clamp jaws with integral vertical abutmentsegments intermediate the flange and jaw portions, said abutmentseotions being permanently Connected by tubular rivets.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name at Allentown, Pa.,this 8th daj of March, 1926.

FRED WEINDEL, JR.

